A Fleeting Dream
by GoshDarnNihilism
Summary: Was a simple dream meant to turn into a decision between two different lives? Can I just leave my worries behind for Pokemon and Mystery Dungeons? (Apologies if summary does not accurately represent story in your opinion. I don't know how to rate things.) [One-shot]


_"What am I doing here?" I asked myself. I was on my computer, doing who knows what. At least I think... I must have dozed off or something..._

 _I tried to look around, but I don't even know if I did, or what happened, or anything at all. I wasn't aware enough to recognize anything, but then that changed._

"Welcome!"

I was greeted in my dreams, loud and clear. I don't know if it was a voice or words, but it seemed disturbingly clear, as if it was right there. That was enough to grab my attention, even in my dreamlike state. Was I having a lucid dream? That never happens, so I better enjoy it.

"This is the portal that leads to the world inhabited only by Pokemon."

I could identify it as a disembodied voice now. I feel like I've heard that before. The plot of a video game I played. I listen on in interest.

"Beyond this gateway, many new adventures and fresh experiences await your arrival!"

I remember now. It was an old game I played as a kid. Mystery Dungeon was what it was called, if memory serves correctly. That was a long time ago though... why was it happening now of all times?

"Before you depart for adventure, you must answer some questions."

Oh yeah... The quiz to determine what Pokemon you became. Now the memories are clearer. I played it so many times because I absolutely adored the concept of becoming a Pokemon and going on an adventure. I used to dream of the adventures I'd have away from my normal life, but I was always disappointed whenever I woke up in my normal life. I was entirely convinced I could leave and go to the Pokemon world, yet it never happened...

"Be truthful when you answer them!"

I was a bit confused at that warning. Of course I would answer it truthfully. It was me in my dreams. It would be like I was hypnotized, wouldn't it? I'd state what I truly felt or something. And there was no one to hear it.

"Now, are you ready?"

I've waited years and years for something never to come. Might as well try once more...

"Then... let the questions begin!"

Oh my... The environment around began to grow brighter. I could describe it as a swirl of pale color, and it was utterly marvelous, like the Aurora Borealis or something similar.

"Have you ever looked at your reflection in a mirror and thought, What a cool person?"

I swear I heard my own voice say that, and that creeped me out a little. But no, I never thought of myself as cool. I'm not exactly good at anything...

"Do you think that, no matter what, life goes on?"

...Yeah. No matter how much goes wrong, that doesn't mean life stops for you. I can agree in a way that I wish I couldn't.

"Do you think blaming something you did on someone else is sometimes necessary?"

I can say that goes either way. I've blamed myself for things out of my control, and yet I've thrown others under the bus to stay out of trouble. I guess so...

"You take off your shoes to realize your socks are two different colors! What do you do?"

I look down at my feet, and I see one black sock and one white sock. I'm cringing a little bit. It's not my fault they always disappear. Although, it probably is me...

"You're at a movie theater. What are you there to see?"

I look back up and see three movie frames, like you see when you're outside a theater. I never even got to go there anyways, but I choose the one that looks like it has explosions.

"Your friends seem to be making plans to hang out, just out of earshot. You think..."

...Honestly, I would've expected them to do that... I doubt they'll invite me, but I hope they do.

"Good news and bad news... Which do you want to hear first?"

I don't even know if that's a quiz question or an actual question, but I'd rather give hope to a bad situation than ruin a perfect one. Bad news...?

"Have you ever thought that if you dug in your backyard you could find buried treasure?"

I guess that was a question... I wish I'd find treasure, but I know it'll never happen.

"And now your aura shall be analyzed. Your aura is the energy you radiate!"

I felt... warm. Like, fluffy-blanket-out-of-the-dryer warm. I haven't felt that kind of warmth and comfort in forever, so with that I was ready to cry or something.

"Relax. Calm yourself..."

I closed my eyes, and enjoyed this small time of peace that I'd never get again.

"And now press your fingertip gently on the bow."

I opened my eyes in confusion, and there it was. A small white bow. I was about to reach out and touch it, but I stopped myself, a cold chill running down my spine.

I looked at my hand, and there it was. Clear as day, as if this wasn't a dream at all.

I remember reading some news article on waking yourself up, so I start doing random things like speaking and blinking, seeing if I'd wake up.

I'm already awake.

Now the impact comes full force. I have a chance to leave my world behind and start again. All the things that I've suffered through, they'll be a distant memory. I'll have elemental powers, and make actual friends, and go on actual adventures instead of having dealing with pain and loss and everything. Instead of having to hide in my imagination, I could just live in it! I'll never have to come back.

The bow looks so tempting, and the prompts have stopped for now. I'm about to touch it before I realize I'm not thinking rationally. Am I ready to give up the life I have, the friends I had, the adventures I had? It sucked, yes, but should I just throw it away for something better. Before I answer that life goes on, but this is giving up on life and doing something else. I'm contradicting myself, and I can't decide. As much as I wanted to say yes and grab the bow, I didn't want to leave that.

I stared at the bow as my mind raced with pros and cons of staying and leaving, but the final decision seems far away.

I close my eyes, and shed tears as I make my decision.

"Your aura has been analyzed."

I don't know if they're tears of joy or sadness, but I'm crying. I open my eyes and see my hand on the bow. It's all gone now. All the joy is gone. All the suffering is gone.

All of my life is gone.

* * *

 **Oh my god. I swear I've had some of these dreams. Minus the "It's actually real what do I do" part. It sucks.**

 **Hope you liked it.**


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